Baseball shoe spikes



June 26, 1962 F. c. PHILLIPS BASEBALL SHOE SPIKES Filed Feb. 23, 1961 FIG?) INVENTOR.

FRED C. PH IL LIPS ATTORNEYS of the spike.

of the blade 26 from the hole.

United States Patent 3,040,450 BASEBALL SHOE SPIKES Fred C. Phillips, Stoughton, Mass. Filed Feb. 23, 1961, Ser. No. 90,996 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-2.5)

This invention relates to an improved spike for baseball shoes. On the standard baseball shoe there are three spikes on the forward portion of the outsole, and three provide spikes which are individually separate and are separately secured to the outsole. This results in lighter weight, more flexibility of the finished shoe and more comfort to the wearer. The separate spikes, with no connecting web, are less liable to become clogged with mud in Wet weather.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof, and to the drawing, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective bottom view of a baseball shoe having spikes embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a larger scale, of the outsole appearing in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the spike shown in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the spike is formed.

The spikes illustrated on the drawing are preferably made from sheet metal or strip stock, spring steel being preferred. An oval blank 12 is cut from the sheet or strip, this blank having a short rectangular extension 14 at one end thereof, the extension having a straight end edge 16 and parallel side edges 18, 20. Parallel cuts 22, 24 are made in line with these side edges into the blank to form a rectangular blade 26 which is integral with the remainder of the blank and at this stage is in the plane thereof. The cuts 22, 24 also form horns 30, 32 at the respective sides of the blade 26. A hole 34 may be cut or punched in the blank between the blade 26 and the opposite end of the blank. The blade 26 is then bent up to an erect position perpendicular to the plane of the remainder of the blank which thereafter constitutes the base The horns 30, 32 are bent toward each other in the plane of the blank so that the base acquires an approximately circular disk-like shape and the horns partly define an opening through the base on the other side The upper end of the blade 2'6 is preferably bevelled or sharpened as at 36. The margin of this base is then forged or otherwise bent slightly down from the plane of the base, giving the base the shape of a shallow inverted cup or dish. If the material used is spring steel or other metal that can be hardened, a suitable hardening process is employed to harden the spike.

The spike is then ready to be mounted on an outsole for a baseball shoe. This may be done by placing the required number of spikes in properly spaced relation in a mold, and molding an outsole 40 of rubber or the like so that the base of each spike is embedded in the rubber about half-way between the surfaces of the sole. When thus molded, the rubber enters the hole 34 in the base of each spike and the opening between the horns and bonds the layers of rubber which are above and below the base of the spike. The slightly cupped shape of the base adds to the strength and stability of the spike.

FIGURE 1 illustrates the conventional arrangement of spikes on a baseball shoe, but in mounting the individual spikes independently other arrangements are possible, as may be desired.

I claim:

1. A baseball shoe having an outsole molded in one piece with a number of individual spikes partially embedded in the material of the sole, each said spike comprising an approximately circular substantially flat base and a rectangular blade integral with said base and per pendicular to the plane thereof, said base having a hole therethrough near one side of said blade and two horns curving toward each other on the other side of said blade forming an opening through said base, the material of the sole covering both faces of said base and filling said hole and opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brady Dec. 19, 1911 2,626,454 Richardson Jan. 27, 1953 2,986,825 Moore June 6, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 159,249 Australia Oct. 8, 1954 

